Unmasked
by Ai No Senshi
Summary: Safe behind masks, five couples join together for a single incredible night of secrets and passion. Love refuses to be hidden, however, and they must find out: will their love persist after they've been unmasked?
1. Two Trips from Windows

The wind danced around the trees, whispering the secrets the night held to anyone who bothered to listen. The stars twinkled like the light in a child's eyes, laughing silently at the world they gazed down upon. Shadows slid along a high wall, stretched to humorous proportions by the torch light. The forms shivered down the wall, a happy sliding motion. One shadow stumbled and they all giggled.

"Shh, shh! They'll hear us!" cried the woman who had tripped.

"Oh, don't be silly! No one's up at this hour!" said a joyous blonde, who was, in her opinion, the only one with a good sense of adventure.

"Then remind me again why we are?" asked a dark-haired beauty, her eyes fiery with resentment of being robbed of her precious sleep.

"Don't be such a baby! Everyone loves a good masquerade!"

"There's one next week, if I remember correctly. Why must we attend tonight's?" questioned a quiet, blue-haired girl.

"Because no one will know us tonight," their apparent leader said, her voice holding a little sorrow. They let their complaints rest for a long while as they slipped past the palace walls and made their way through an open valley filled with silvery night blossoms.

Being unknown in a crowd was reason enough to attend any social event, they all decided. Tonight, along the Street of Dreams, a narrow lane near the ocean, a masquerade was being held, lit only by moonlight, stars, and the flickering lanterns that would be strung from window to window. There, you could be whomever you pleased, identities as quickly changing as the songs. Amateur violinists took the opportunity to play, their haunting chords drifting down the alleyway. Dancers would twirl over the cobblestones, each changing partners as often as they changed their names. Tonight, royalty planned to grace the streets, though no one would ever know.

"Serenity, slow down!" Lita whispered. The silver-haired girl was far ahead, practically skipping, her dress floating behind her like a specter.

"I can't!" she laughed. "Oh, what a glorious night for a masquerade! Tonight, I bear no name, a faceless beauty in the midst of the stars."

"A romantic idea," Mina breathed. She'd been the most enthusiastic about this night journey for romance. Already she knew that they would meet their true loves amidst the candles and masks.

"Nameless Beauty, are we far enough yet?" asked Raye sarcastically, noting the starry look in Mina's eyes. She knew that look all too well.

Serenity stopped, and flashed silver for a moment. "Yes, I believe so. If we duck beneath those trees, they should block out the light."

"Well, it is about time," Ami said uncharacteristically, but of course she hadn't wished to go to any silly masquerade. She found the whole idea insulting, hiding your face and changing your name. She'd rather stay in her bedroom and read until the candles burned out.

"Join hands, ladies," Serenity said, ignoring the negativity from her friends. Mina was the only one to truly support her in this quest for love. Lita found the idea enchanting as well, though she wouldn't say it. In fact, she'd been incredibly quiet on their way to a place far enough away to teleport. The Street of Dreams was on Earth, a place they were strictly forbidden to go. So they traveled to where no one would feel or see them use magic, and then they were away to a different planet and a different world.

They held hands in a circle, turning their heads skyward. They chanted their destination aloud, quietly at first, but growing louder. Slowly, magic spilled over them, as if water was cascading down their bodies. Serenity was the first to begin glowing with the others soon following. Around them the wind slowed, then died. All was still and silent, waiting. No tree or animal stirred as if time had frozen.

Then, with a brilliant flash of light, movement and sound returned, and the ladies were gone.

"Are we really climbing out this window in the middle of the night to go to a _dance_?" complained a silver-haired man as he stuck his head out a very large, very high window.

"No, we are climbing out this window in the middle of the night to go to a _masquerade_," said a young blonde, poking the former man in the back to prompt him out.

"He's right, there is a difference…" explained a brunette. He stopped at an icy glare from the reluctant climber.

Silence.

"Both of you are idiots," said the silver-haired man as he began his descent down the castle wall.

"Would you all kindly shut your mouths?" came the yell of a raven-haired man from the ground below.

The sound of crickets chirping greeted the five handsome gentlemen that were so gracefully scaling down a castle wall by way of knotted bed sheets.

"What's his problem?"

Four of the men laughed, while the other stared them down.

"You all know as well as I do that nights like these are the only times we won't be stared at," said the one and only Prince Darien of Earth. His dark eyes, which appeared black in the night lighting, were disapproving of the four Generals which escorted him.

"Actually," pointed out Jadeite, the youngest of the group, "you are the only one who is ogled at by the young maidens. We, on the other hand, may slip in and out of crowds quite well."

"Yes, you have to remember," Zoicite said, his voice much higher than the rest, "that we are not the one and only living Royalty of the planet Earth."

Darien sighed. "That's right; that's my bloody curse."

They laughed, including Darien, as they made their way off of castle grounds and into the deserted streets of the Golden City. Their faces were hidden by masks, each simple in design but differing in color. Malachite, with his silver hair, had chosen one of pale blue, close to the shade of his icy eyes. Though he tried to play it down, they all knew he was the pretty boy of the group, always throwing his long locks over his shoulder.

Nephrite, simple as he was, wore a deep green mask that fitted snugly around his face. He was the most annoyed with this midnight adventure, though his protests were not spoken aloud. He knew in the morning they'd all regret it, especially when they remembered the brunch they were to have with Countess Amethyst, an elderly widow who had no qualms with hitting on all of them and thoroughly.

Jadeite, the young sprite that he was, wore a sharply pointed purple mask the shone in different shades of blue in the right light. He didn't care much for dancing, but he did love the adventure of climbing out a window and cutting across the city in the dark to seek the love of beautiful maidens that awaited them at the masquerade.

And finally Zoicite, the quiet one, wore a deep red mask. It reminded him of fire and passion and that's why he chose it. He had no feelings either way about attending this masquerade and was simply going to go because he was asked and also threatened.

Darien, the one who had made them all attend this masquerade for reasons of his own, wore a white mask that rested on the bridge of his nose and only just traced his eyes. Though his Generals thought he was still utterly recognizable, they didn't tell him that.

As they drew closer to their destination, violin music drifted towards them and a soft orange glow drew them in. They all were excited despite themselves, for nights of such magic and suspense rarely come along and the electricity in the air was enough to make anyone dream of romance.

There was a flash behind them as they turned the corner onto the Street of Dreams, and they stopped.

"Now what do you suppose that was?" Jadeite asked, forever the rookie.

"Sorcery," whispered Malachite darkly. "Come on, we want nothing to do with that."

An eerie feeling was slipping down Darien's spine as he looked in the direction from which the magic had come. Earth was one of a few planets on which magic was not accepted. It was scowled at as a monstrosity, a horrid mutation that, while others felt was a gift, Earthlings felt was a curse.

"Are you coming, Darien? Or what is it that you shall be called tonight?"

"Endymion," he said quickly.

"The one from the story that had sex with some lunar wench while he was sleeping fifty times?" asked Jadeite.

Nephrite elbowed him in the stomach. "Were you born this stupid or did your mother drop you on your head?"

"It was my mum, I suppose…"

"Come on," said Darien, turning towards the masquerade. "We're already late, let's not postpone this any longer."

As they mingled into the crowd, each going their own ways, five young women came around the corner, giggling excitedly and smiling in pure joy.

"Oh, how magnificent!" Serenity said. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"You know, Serenity, you are a bit too enthusiastic for me," said Raye. "It's just a bunch of people in masks, groping each other and never giving it a second thought."

"Come on, Raye," Lita said. "You know you love this. You wore your best charms for love on your wrist, so don't pretend you don't have hopes for tonight."

The Martian Princess gripped the silver bracelets on her arm, each inscribed with different charms. She scowled at Lita, her dark eyes cold. She had dressed up; her dress was quite a lovely scarlet, and matched her silk mask. They had all tried to dress down for the occasion, but none of them had succeeded.

Ami's dress was a soft blue and modest, covering her shoulders and ankles well, and accented by a small string of pearls around her neck. Her mask was rounded, like her face, and was a pearly white with blue trim.

Lita's dress was emerald, and had no sleeves, nor straps. They were all a little surprised by this daring wardrobe choice, but had to admit she looked gorgeous and confident. Her mask was small, just around her eyes, and the simplest of them all.

Mina wore a golden dress which wrapped around her in a toga fashion. It did appear as though she was wrapped in a ribbon of sunlight, and her mask was a glimmering ray surrounding her eyes and smile.

Serenity, of course, wore silver. Her dress floated around her softly in many fabulous layers. Her mask was white and pointed at the ends as if she was always smiling. It came high on her forehead, so as to cover up the crescent moon which glowed there. Along the top were beads which shone like spots of moonlight. She, unfortunately, stood out in the crowd, but few on Earth knew what she looked like anyway, for the Earth had no relations with the Moon. This was due to the close-mindedness of the people, in Serenity's opinion. Who did not wish to accept magic?

They stepped onto the Street of Dreams, from which you could hear the ocean waves crashing onto the beach. A soft smell of salt wafted through the air with the smell of burning candles and a sweet smell that those from the Moon could not identify; roses did not grow there.

Around them people laughed and swirled, some singing quietly with the music, others kissing in the shadows.

"I will see you all shortly before dawn," Serenity said, stepping into the crowd.

"Is it wise to let her be alone on a planet like this?" Ami asked.

"I don't care to be her babysitter," Raye said, drifting away and soon being pulled into the dance.

"Just relax, Ami, my dear," Mina said in her fluttery way. "Maybe love awaits all of us in this place."

"I doubt it," Lita said to her short companion as the goddess of love was asked to dance. "As if any Earthling could possibly…" She trailed off as she met the gaze of a tall brunette man. He worked his way across the street to her side, and kissed her hand. A soft blush spread across her cheeks as he led her wordlessly into the dancers.

Ami sighed. If only she had packed a book… She found a seat along the edge of the party, next to a blonde-headed man in a purple mask. He smiled at her, somewhat crazily, sliding over to make room for the small woman.

"Hello," he said, his voice carrying a playful lilt. "My name is Jacob. For tonight."

"I shall not change my name nor speak it. I think it's a rather silly thing to do."

"Silly? How so? Don't you ever wish to be someone else if only for a while?"

"No, I am perfectly content to be who I am, and would not be here if it wasn't for the people I dare call my friends."

"Nor would I," the man who called himself Jacob said. "But you must love the adventure?"

The first of many smiles made its way onto Ami's face. "Well, a little."

Author's Note: There comes a time in every fan fiction writer's life when they finally return to their roots and produce a new story after something like two years has passed. This is that time. Are you excited? IT'S NEW! I'm excited!

Until the next time,

Ai No Senshi


	2. Opinions on Irony

Serenity would have to say that she was a bit disappointed. Already she had danced with three men, each making her grow more and more saddened. Perhaps she had gotten her hopes up for nothing.

The first man she danced with had been quite a bit older; no amount of mask was able to hide the many sagging wrinkles which weighed down his face. He had been polite though, and she would not deny anyone a dance tonight. Besides, she thought, what's one dance to a man who must have danced hundreds? It will make him happy for awhile.

The second man had seemed promising. He was fit and tall and appeared to be quite handsome behind his rather large mask… until he smiled. His teeth, half fallen out and all black and yellow, snarled at her from behind his lips. His breath stank of alcohol and his words were slurred. He stepped on her toe once, and she was quite sure she'd be wearing bruises in the morning.

The third man had only been worse. His mask was falling apart, and she could barely reach his shoulders across his rather large belly that hung out over the top of his pants. He stank of sweat and work, and she found herself queasy after only a minute or so with him. She excused herself and slipped out of the crowd for a breath of fresh air that was more than welcome. She sighed, on the verge of tears. How stupid she'd been for hoping!

"Disappointing, isn't it?" came a voice from down the lane. A man sat on the thick stone railing of a balcony overlooking the ocean. Unwittingly, she walked towards him, urged on by the gentle way he spoke. "You come to these things, almost certain that tonight you will meet someone that you can truly love, only to find that not even masks can help hide the fact that you're still alone."

"You're right," she sighed, now standing directly below him. From here, she could see his features sketched in moonlight, a small white mask tracing his eyes and dark raven hair hanging in his face. "I thought that maybe tonight, maybe this time…"

They were silent for a moment, looking out over the silver lined waves and thinking of lost hopes.

"Just how did you get up there?" Serenity asked, breaking the quite saddening silence.

"I climbed the trellis," he said simply.

Serenity gazed at white trellis covered in a green vines. She removed her shoes, leaving them on the small walkway, and began to climb towards the balcony. She was intrigued by this masked fellow who spoke so somberly of the masquerade that everyone else seemed to be enjoying. When she reached the balcony, she found him waiting, gloved hand outstretched for hers.

She placed a delicate hand in his own, and he helped her over the railing. She had managed it quite gracefully until her foot caught on the edge, then she stumbled into the masked man, whom she found to be quite solid.

"So sorry," she said, looking up at him. She hadn't realized how close she was to him until she gazed up into his blue-black eyes. Her breath caught and she stepped away, an involuntary smile on her face. He resumed his position on the railing while she chose to lean against it.

She looked up at the Moon, her home. She had rarely seen it from the Earth's point of view, and each time she did she was struck by its brilliance.

"So what is your name, for the moment?" he asked.

"I haven't bothered to create one tonight. And yourself?"

"Endymion."

Serenity smiled despite herself. How lovely for him to have picked the name of the one Earthling anyone on the Moon respected! The tale of Selene and Endymion was quite different there, and it spoke of how he was loyal to her even though his planet persecuted him for it and how he was the father of the first Lunarian Queen.

"Then perhaps my name is Selene, for the moment," she said. Irony was wonderful in her opinion.

He laughed. "So tell me, Selene, how far did you travel for this masquerade?"

"Oh, not too far," she said, joining in on the laughter. It hadn't take them so long to get there, though the distance was great. She, of course, would not mention the assistance of magic in her traveling.

"I didn't travel very far either," he said. "Just out a window, and a couple of streets."

"Really? Out a window?" she asked. She did love to see him smile, she was realizing. A warm, heavy feeling lay in her stomach every time his lips moved, and she could not help but smile when he did.

"It was a daring escape, if I do say so myself."

"Are you a criminal then or just some sort of royal who shouldn't be caught at such things as this?" she teased, speaking her own truth without declaring herself royalty.

"I'm not at liberty to say," he said, somewhat shakily, though recovering quickly. For a moment he worried that she recognized him. But no, she had just been teasing him about his trip out of the window.

"I must say that my journey started out of a window as well," she conceded. "Though I not so much as climbed out as I did fall."

He chuckled, turning to her. Her heart sped as his gaze was directed at her, and she began to feel just a little dizzy. "You are quite funny; did you know that?"

"I do feel that I possess some wit," she said, winking at him.

He slid off the railing to lean beside her, their arms touching. What luck, he thought, that such a lovely woman would wander away from the party, climb a trellis, and choose to talk to me.

"I do believe you are the most charming person I've met tonight."

"Yet another coincidence, for you are the most charming person I've met."

He smiled down at her, and she felt his eyes wander to her lips. She saw him lean towards her and paused before quickly turning away.

He stopped and frowned, directing his stare towards the ocean. It did sting that she should turn away from him, for already he could feel the fall he was taking for her.

"Let's go to the beach," she said suddenly. She barely kept herself from saying the truth: she'd never been on a real one. The beaches of Mercury were covered in ice and snow, and the Moon's sea was bordered only by cold, gray rocks.

"That sounds like a fine idea," he agreed. They swiftly passed by the fact that she had just rejected him as they climbed down the trellis. Serenity took his hand as they walked down to the beach and giggled with delight when she felt the cool sand between her toes.

"I do love the ocean," she said. Her face was lit by some internal light of happiness.

Darien, or Endymion as he was known to her, could only watch her as she twirled along the edge of the sea, lifting her skirts to keep them from getting wet. The waves washed in around her feet, tugging softly at them.

"How wonderful!" she said under her breath. Something shifted in Darien's mind.

"You're not from here, are you?"

She turned to him, smiling regretfully. "Not quite, my dear, but please don't question my any further."

He did not. Instead, he removed his shoes and joined her in the waves. They walked hand-in-hand along the shore, talking softly. It seemed that only a few minutes had passed when the sky started becoming blue, dawn approaching swiftly.

"Oy! Endymion!" came a playful voice from the edge of the beach. The couple, as they had become in the last couple of hours, turned to see four men, waving for him to hurry up.

Darien turned sadly to the woman he had come to know as Selene; it hurt him to think he may never see her again.

"Please, may I know your name before I go? I should like to see you again soon."

She frowned, looking down to the sand. "I'm afraid I cannot say. And something tells me you cannot reveal your name either."

"Sadly, no. But please, Selene, give me something. A glance of your face, a bit of your name, something so that I may find you again."

"I can't," she breathed, close to tears. "There's nothing. I shouldn't have come here. I can't ever see you again."

"Dar- oomph! Endymion! Hurry, we'll be late!" came the voice again.

Tears now fell from Serenity/Selene's eyes, her chest aching with sadness. Endymion placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Please…"

She made one final mistake of looking up into his eyes, now a very deep blue as the sky lightened. She kissed him, and it felt as if her heart was taking flight inside her chest, rising and rising towards the stars. His hands slid down to her waist, pulling her close. He tugged softly on her bottom lip and felt her draw nearer as he did, their bodies pressed into each other until no definite line could be drawn between them.

Whistles and cat calls sounded from up the beach, but they barely penetrated the consciousness of the two. They separated, but stayed close and Serenity whispered quietly,

"I am from the Moon."

Then she ran away from him and past the four men on the street. She disappeared, still barefoot, into the dissipating crowd, finding her friends quickly and not stopping to explain the tears still flowing down her cheeks.

Darien stood on the beach, stunned to his very core. He'd been so overwhelmed after having finally kissed her that her words had taken a some time to sink in. Then he gazed up at the face of the Moon, which seemed to mock him. He removed his mask and walked slowly up the beach.

"Were you that bad of a kisser?" quipped Jadeite, only to receive another elbow in the stomach from Nephrite. Darien walked past them, leading the way home.

"She did seem to leave in quite a hurry," Zoicite said. "Crying, no less."

"It had nothing to do with the kiss," said Darien sharply. A silver glint caught his eye, and he hurried to the bottom of the trellis to find Selene's shoes, still sitting there after hours had passed. He picked them up, and carried them with him, giving a hard glare to Jadeite who had already begun to form the words, "Stealing women's shoes now, are we?" For awhile they were all silent, but silences never did last long with the Generals.

"So what was it then?" Nephrite asked. "Was she secretly married?"

"Was she secretly a man? Did she see you without a mask on and was too horrified to stay?" Three simultaneous elbows slammed into Jadeite's chest. This affected him little, however, for his night had been spectacular.

"It was much worse than all of that."

"Well, what was it then?" asked Zoicite, suddenly impatient.

"She's Lunarian."

The Generals stopped in their tracks, letting this soak in. They then continued forward, rushing to catch up with Darien.

"As in, peace and love and 'magic' to everyone, Lunarian?" Malachite asked, his face taking on a curious look.

"Yes."

"As in 'the Earth is too close-minded about magic and should learn to accept it' Lunarian?"

"Yes! It doesn't change; she's from the Moon."

The were quiet once more, thinking it all over. What nasty luck, they thought. It was too bad, really.

When they were back on castle grounds, Jadeite began burst out in laughter, startling them all.

"I fail to see what is so funny," Darien said angrily as they reached the rope of linens hanging from his window.

"It's the irony of it, really. You picking the name of the Earthling who loved the Moon Goddess for tonight's masquerade."

When the irony finally dawned on Darien, he grew angry, and began climbing the wall quickly up to his room. Irony was horrible in his opinion.

Author's Note: My dear readers, I fear that I have made a mistake in writing this fic that I hope you can excuse me for. In creating the pairs, I accidentally diverged away from the standard General/Senshi pairings of Ami/Zoicite and Raye/Jadeite. By the time my mistake was discovered, I had already written a great deal featuring the inverted couples. Therefore, I will continue on will my slightly askew couples and hope that it does not bother anyone too much. When you read Ami and Raye's accounts of the masquerade, I think you'll see how it was impossible to correct such a mistake for I had already began to shape the characters in different ways.

Thank you for reading this chapter and incredibly long author's note.

Until the next time,

Ai No Senshi


	3. Sunlight and Passion

By the time they had teleported, run all the way back to the castle, and climbed hastily into Serenity's room, the Moon Princess was exhausted. She collapsed onto her bed, burying her face in her pillows to block out the approaching dawn and what was looking to be one of the most dreadful days of Serenity's young life.

How could one night be so lovely and so terrible all at once? It was love, she supposed, that was hurting her this way. She did not care for it.

"Oh, Serenity," Mina said, sitting on the bed after pulling herself through the window. She stroked her friend's back, hoping to grant some amount of comfort though she could make no guarantees. "It's not always like this."

Serenity turned to her friend, ripping off the mask she now found horrendous and throwing it to the floor. "What is not always like this?"

"Love," Mina said quietly. By this time they had all climbed back through the window and were solemnly removing their masks. They sat on the bed, each falling into the memories of her own night at the masquerade. Serenity had not been the only one to find a certain someone nor was she the only one experiencing heartache though Mina and Raye had small smiles on their faces.

"Serenity," Lita said, "where are your shoes?"

Serenity blinked, not sure whether to laugh or cry at the loss of her exquisite slippers. "I left them on Earth."

The ladies looked at one another, biting their lips in effort to stifle the laughter rising in their throats at this news. However, when Serena began to chuckle at the funny Cinderella turn of events, there was no help for the poor girls, and they all fell across the bed, laughing, and forgetting that they had all left someone behind on Earth.

"Darien…"

"No."

"You have to get up."

"I refuse; I'm ill; if I'm lucky, I'll die here."

"We have a brunch to attend."

"Amethyst is a romantic woman; tell her heartache leaves me bedridden and I may never be able to eat again."

The Generals sighed and exchanged exasperated glances. Jadeite, whose chest still ached from the repeated elbowing, chose to remain quiet this morning. They liked to think that he had learned his lesson, but they all knew better.

"Amethyst is also a gossiper. Would you like the entire planet to know their Prince has fallen in love and been rejected?" Malachite asked.

Darien sat up quickly. "I was not rejected."

"Well, it isn't like you have an invitation to the Moon."

"And it isn't like she could give me one."

"It is curious though, isn't it?" Nephrite mused. "If she is a simple, Lunarian girl, what exactly was she doing on Earth? How did she get here? And why wouldn't a commoner be able to speak her name?"

Darien thought about the outrageous possibility Nephrite was speaking of. "Are you suggesting she's royalty? The very Queen of the Moon?"

"Well, no, not the Queen," Jadeite said, breaking his silence. "She's quite too old for you. The Princess, however…" Jadeite looked around at his companions and backed away. "I'll elbow myself this time, if you don't mind."

"She did say something though," Darien said, ignoring Jadeite. "She asked me if I had to climb out of my window because I was a criminal or some form of royalty."

"And if she's Lunarian, she has no idea that you are the Prince…" Zoicite said.

"So perhaps she was speaking from her own experience?" Nephrite suggested.

"Well, there is one way to find out," Malachite said mysteriously. "I hear tell from a lovely blonde that there is masquerade in the Moon Palace in three nights time."

"Are you suggesting that I sneak away from the castle, smuggle myself onto the Moon, and sneak into the Moon Palace without being caught?"

Malachite paused. "Well, yes."

Darien nodded. "Sounds good, when do we leave?"

And so, fueled by the thought of seeing Selene again, Darien began to form plans for his great escape to the Moon. Soon they had all forgotten about poor Countess Amethyst, who sat for some time by herself before finally leaving, but not before hitting on the waiter, who could only smile and nod. He then hid in the kitchen until she left.

The girls sat outside in the warm sunlight, quietly sipping tea in one of the many Moon's Gardens. Flowers twisted gracefully around trees and up the palace walls in designs as if they had been painted and not planted. It was a perfect afternoon in the sense of weather; the sky was perfectly blue up the very zenith where the sun beamed down on the Court like a watchful parent. They had been sitting there an hour waiting for the Queen to appear at what was supposed to be a weekly meeting, but what was quickly becoming a chance for Serenity and her Guardians to sit around doing nothing without good reason.

"She isn't going to show up once more," Serenity sighed, emptying her teacup and placing it haphazardly back on its saucer. She was feeling rather melancholy and quite drowsy after her adventurous night. Her friends showed signs of the same fatigue; Ami did not even wince at the thought that Serenity may have broken or chipped the cup.

"She is very busy, Serenity," Ami said in defense of Selenity though she was hurriedly running out of arguments.

"I know," the Moon Princess said. This was one of many missed appointments in the last couple of months. The Queen was taking part in vigorous peace talks with non-magic planets, trying to open doors of communication and trade while promising to keep the cultures separate for sake of the people. It did not seem that any such battle would be ending soon and the Lunarian Queen was fighting a war she had already lost.

"We should be happy she is not here," Raye said. "If she succeeds, we have a stronger chance of…" She stopped, afraid that her words would only pour salt on their wounded hearts.

"Seeing them again?" Serenity said darkly. "I doubt it. The cultures will still be separate and we will have no chance of finding them all again. There is no telling where they are from or what their names are."

"I know his name," Lita said quietly.

"Me too," Raye piped up.

"I also," Ami agreed.

Serenity and Mina felt utterly betrayed that they knew so little about their masked men.

"But I will have another chance to find out," Mina said mysteriously, hiding her smile behind a carefully choreographed sip of tea.

"How so?" Raye asked sardonically.

It was then they began to share their masquerade stories, starting, of course, with Mina's romantic night.

_When she first stepped into the crowd, no one caught her eye. The men were all very plain in colors of brown and gray. Occasionally she'd catch a glimpse of red, but she realized later that that was only Raye, twirling through the dance. When all hope seemed lost, she felt someone gazing at her. She looked around discreetly, finally finding a pair of icy blue eyes hiding behind a mask of similar color. _

_She smiled cutely and waved. Flirting was something she knew how to do with perfect grace and ease. The man crossed over to her and bowed at the waist, his white-blonde locks spilling over his shoulders._

"_May I have the honor of a dance with the Lady of the Sunlight?"_

_She smiled, happy with the name he had bestowed on her. "Yes, you may, dear sir. May I enquire as to what your name is?"_

"_Michael," he said, taking her hand and guiding her quickly into step with the other dancers. He was very graceful and light on his feet, and she found him to be the perfect dancing partner. Each stride he took she could feel coming and stepped with him. They moved as only experienced dancing partners d: as one._

"_You are a fantastic dancer, Michael," Mina said; flattery was an essential element in her flirting style._

"_As are you, Lady," he said, grinning. She found him to be absolutely breathtaking, a man like she had never met before. "What brings a Lady like you to a simple masquerade like this?"_

"_A quest for love, I suppose," she answered. "Aren't we all secretly looking for that?"_

"_Perhaps. I have come only because I was forced."_

"_Forced?"_

"_By friends and by duty," he somewhat clarified._

_She laughed. "I, too, was obligated to come, though it was more by free will. I am glad that you were forced to come."_

_He smiled. "I am as well."_

_They were oblivious to the world around them for awhile, any man who had come to cut in found himself thoroughly ignored, and all other women found themselves dejected. After many dances, they wandered off into the shadows, becoming one of the hushed couples who spoke among themselves and kissed stealthily._

"_Tell me something about your unmasked self, Lady," Michael said between kisses. _

"_I am a free spirit," she laughed._

"_You are with a mask also," he said. "Are you married?"_

"_This would be adultery, then," she said, her eyebrows arching mischievously. "Luckily, I am not. Yourself?"_

"_No, no. I am a free spirit as well," he chuckled, delighted by how her face was so well lit with a lovely happiness._

_She twirled a strand of his hair around her finger, watching how the silver shone like moonbeams. "Your hair is like magic," she said without thinking._

"_What do you know of magic?" he said, his voice steely and cold._

"_I have only heard," she said slyly though his reaction startled her. "Do you think it is wondrous?"_

"_It is only horrible so let us not speak of it."_

_She kissed him on the cheek. "We will speak of pleasant things like dancing and kissing and love."_

_He grinned, the moment forgotten and her words forgiven. "We will not speak of those things; we will do those things."_

_They began to kiss once more, quietly but always smiling. Mina was convinced there was not a man more incredible in the Universe and his obvious distaste for magic did not taint her image of his perfection. As the Goddess of Love, she swore that this would be passionate and magnificent and flawless in its beauty. She wished for her friends the same infinite joy she was experiencing in his arms._

_At this thought, she remembered her duty and it seemed her companion had also found in his memory the same reality._

_Simultaneously, they both looked into the sky, he at the lightening east, and she at the fading moon._

"_I'm afraid I must go," they said together, then laughed at their shared words. He bent to kiss her quickly, though she held him there for much longer than he intended. _

"_Really, I have to find the fellows I came with," he said. "When could I see you again?"_

_She smiled mischievously. "How is your sense of adventure?"_

"_Healthy, I'd imagine. Why?"_

_It was then she told him of the masquerade on the Moon she would be attending. She did not mention her royal status, nor her origins on Venus. When he asked how she would be invited to such a thing, she only said mysteriously, "I have my connections."_

"_I will be there, I promise," he said earnestly._

_Then they kissed once more and departed, she to hunt down her four friends who also had shared quiet kisses, and he to pull his friends away from the arms of the said women, though neither knew of the relationships their friends had formed._

"And that was my masquerade," she said dreamily, her eyes quite starry. The four other women stared at her agape, their chins nearly scraping the table.

"How could you tell an Earthling about the masquerade? If he's caught…"

"He won't be," Mina said defensively. "And he'll be here, I know it." She rested her cheek in her hand, smiling dreamily of the next masquerade she would attend with her beloved Michael with hair like moonlight.

"She has gone off in a daydream," Lita observed, waving her hand in front of Mina's eyes and getting no response whatsoever. The Princess from Jupiter shook her head and threw her hands in the air as if it was a lost cause.

Serenity giggled at Mina's hilarious behavior and Lita's obvious distaste for it.

"Well, I was nowhere near as daring in my escapade, but there was a certain man," Raye said, failing to notice Mina's drooling state. She smiled as she told the story of her masquerade.

_For the first half of the evening, Raye danced with the most attractive men she could find, changing partners and names with each new song. She enjoyed the anonymity of the dance even if she had criticized the masquerade. Around Serenity she was determined to keep up the appearance that she was agitated by the adventure, but in reality her heart was fluttering as the entered the masquerade, her face glowing with excitement even behind the mask._

_Though all the men she danced with were indeed quite fantastic looking, she found fault in each of them. Some wore a golden band around their fingers while others were too free with their hands. Some did not manage to speak a single word and others would not cease their relentless chatter._

_She curtsied to her partner after an Earthen folk dance and turned to find an effeminate man with fiery eyes smiling at her. He extended his hand as a Martian dance began playing. Raye grinned as she agreed to the dance , thrilled that it felt as if she was accepting a challenge._

_As with all Martian dances, this one was filled with close passion that demanded that each dancer drop all boundaries with their partner. Raye's body was pressed close to the man, her nose brushing his. The footwork was difficult, but she found her partner to be more than adequate. Their steps were in unison, their legs practically entwined as they spun. She kept her eyes on his, not needing to look around to anticipate his steps. There was a passion in his gaze she had never seen; he seemed to demand that she keep up with him, daring her to fail._

_Her arms were wrapped tightly around him, one hand splayed on his back though keeping a strong grip while the other hand was held firmly in his grasp. The man kept his arm around her waist and hips which were flush against his own body. She found him to be strong in all ways though his looks seemed so soft._

_By the end of the dance, a ring had formed around the two, leaving space for the couple though they were unaware anyone was watching. When the music stopped, the crowd applauded, each woman wishing to be as sexy and each man wishing for just one chance with the dark beauty. Everyone thought them to be lovers for each was so skilled in the style that they acted as if the close intimacy between strangers was nothing more than a common occurrence._

_The couple was practically gasping for air, sweat sliding beneath their masks. Raye had never felt such heat and passion though she had danced that way more than many times. She found herself unable to pull away from the man though the next song was a conservative Mercurian waltz. _

"_You are an extraordinary dancer," the man said, his voice light and high but not unpleasing. _

"_Thank you. You make an incredible partner," she said. Their faces remained close, the only noise their hot breaths._

"_Wherever did you learn to dance?" he asked as he stepped away from her, still holding her hand and beginning to lead her away from the dance floor and towards a more secluded spot._

"_My mother taught me," she said. "Yourself?"_

"_Before the Earth and Mars fell on bad terms, I took lessons with the Martian Queen herself."_

_Raye stared at him, mouth open. She remembered now, a young boy with long blonde hair that her mother had called her perfect partner. Raye had only been a child, but she had been dancing for so many years that she helped her mother teach lessons. This boy had learned quickly and when she danced with him, there was always a feeling of unity and perfection. Her mother praised them over and over._

"_It _is _surprising," the man said, "but you have been silent for some time."_

"_You are lucky," she choked out, laughing at her own voice. "Tell me: did you dance with the Princess?"_

_He cocked his head in surprise. "I did. However did you know?"_

"_It was only a guess. I hear she is skilled." Her smile seemed etched into face, carved out of the lucky happiness._

"_Not nearly so much as you are," he said. "She was very young then, of course, as was I."_

"_Did you fancy her?" Raye dared to ask. She never minded playing with fire._

_He laughed. "I did. She was beautiful in a dangerous way. She always seemed to be challenging me with her eyes."_

_He looked at her strangely, searching her for a sign of some sort, but her gaze was impenetrable._

"_You are so very much like her."_

"_How kind of you to compare me to a princess!" she said. By this time, they were very much alone. _

"_Oh, there is no comparison," he said. "Princess though she may be, she is not like you."_

"_Oh?" she asked hopefully._

"_You seem twice as dangerous and prove to be a more passionate partner."_

"_And the beauty?"_

"_You possess a larger amount."_

_She laughed and kissed him, giggling between the quick presses of her lips to his, but as he drew her close, she was not laughing any longer. The heat on the dance floor was doubled as she kissed him, twisted up with him in an embrace in which she couldn't get close enough._

"_Raye," came Mina's voice so close that the Martian Princess was startled from her partner's arms. "We must leave now."_

_At once Raye noticed the sky. She looked into the eyes of the young man whose name she hadn't heard tonight but remembered from a long time ago. He seemed to be remembering something as well, but she did not have time to let him piece the puzzle together._

_She kissed him quickly, turning to join her friend._

"_Good-bye, Zoicite," she called over her shoulder._

_After she was gone, Zoicite stood motionless with the realization that his Princess had found him._

Author's Note: I know Zoicite isn't supposed to be very manly, but when dancing he must at least act the part. How does the masquerade seem to you so far? Satisfactory? Sucky? Let me know.

Until the next time,

Ai No Senshi


	4. Humor and Honesty

"Oh, Raye!" Ami said. "He must know who you are!"

"So what if he does?" Raye asked. "He can never be near me again, anyway. We will be separated by circumstances."

Lita shook her head. "We are all separated by circumstances."

Serenity frowned as her mind slowly traveled back to Endymion.

Mina could not stand Raye's tale. "Destiny is pushing you together!" she exclaimed. "You are perfect partners; even your mother knows that. Love is drawing you towards one another, so you must be together!"

"Love," Raye said heatedly, "did not account for politics."

"Please don't fight, you two," Ami said. "I will tell you my story."

_As the most responsible of the Guardians, Ami rarely stopped thinking or planning long enough to have a little fun, no matter how hard her friends tried to pull her into it. She never enjoyed their "adventures", but attended so that some form of chaperone would be there to save the others from the fixes they found themselves in. She did not mind her role, and she played it well, but tonight was different. The purple masked man made her wish to dance and sing and act as if she was a silly girl, not a proper Guardian of the Princess Serenity._

"_Come dance with me, Unnamed Lady!" Jadeite said, standing. His smile seemed to light the world, but Ami just shook her head._

"_I cannot dance," she said. She giggled at his antics as he danced a small, clumsy jig. _

"_Look around!" he laughed. "No one here can truly dance, but at a masquerade it is not who you are, but how well you can act!" He abruptly took her hand and pulled her up. _

_She blushed, laughing as he spun in circles with her. The world became a blurred ribbon of color, rippling across her vision. It seemed that for the rest of the night while she was with him the world remained blurred and his face the only clear spot. He never ceased smiling at her, and her face began to ache for she never stopped smiling at him._

"_I must tell you," she said, as they walked together away from the party and toward the beach, "I have never in my life had as much fun as I have had with you tonight."_

"_I find that hard to believe," he said. He took her hand as they walked, and they swung their arms back and forth happily._

"_Oh, but it is true," she said. "My job requires a great amount of work and seriousness from me. I have never felt so…"_

"_Alive? Free? Happy?"_

"_Crazy!" she laughed. At first the sound of her laugh had seemed so strange to her, but now she could not believe that she had ever gone a day without laughing._

"_I am crazy as well," Jadeite said. "I find myself thinking now that I could never live without seeing you again. I would do anything to spend another night in your company. If you tell me so, then I will throw myself into the ocean and drown, not in misery, but in the pleasure of doing as you wished."_

_She smiled as they stepped into the sand. "Would you really?"_

_He looked at her, somewhat aghast. "You wish it?"_

_She shrugged, grinning._

"_For you, anything," he said. He removed his boots and jacket and headed for the water. He winced as it touched his feet. "It is cold, but alas, I shall die in it for my Unnamed Lady wishes me to." He strode into the deeper water, shivering in the cold. "Remember that I love you, Lady."_

_Ami laughed as he laid in the water, and, unbeknownst to him, she took off her shoes. She walked into the sea without a second thought, for on Mercury she had been born in icy water; this was nothing to her. She slid beneath the waves, swimming gracefully towards where he lay. She pulled him up, laughing at him._

"_I wish you to live," she said. "My whim has changed."_

_He gasped for air and warmth. "The water is freezing! Aren't you cold?"_

_She shook her head. "Not in the least."_

_For a moment, they took in each other's appearance. Their hair dripped and laid heavily against their faces. While he seemed tense and cold, she looked happy and relaxed. They became aware of their clothing, also. His white shirt had grown transparent, and her dress clung to her so that modesty was unachievable anymore. They both removed their masks, letting them float out to sea._

"_You are beautiful," he breathed. The moonlight lined her features with a brilliance he had never seen in any girl. Her eyes were such a pale blue that he wondered if they were ice. A lovely blush tinted her cheeks at his words that he scarcely keep from touching her. He brushed her hair from her face, cradling her cheek with his palm to find it warm._

"_Do you mean it?" she asked. She had never thought of herself as beautiful, yet this man spoke as if she were more beautiful than the stars themselves._

"_I would never lie to you."_

_She looked up at him. "Then tell me your name."_

"_Jadeite," he said. His lovely smile appeared once more as he spoke his name aloud. "And yours?"_

_Ami did not want to tell him the truth, and was saved from doing so by the sound of a couple walking down the beach._

"_Shh!" she said, pointing at the couple. "Come on."_

"_What about our shoes?" he asked as she tried to pull him towards the opposite way the couple was walking. _

"_Wait a moment," she said. "I know her." Serenity's silver glow was utterly recognizable no matter the distance. _

"_Well, should we call out then?"_

"_No," she whispered. She spotted a dock not too far down from them. "We'll go to the dock, and sneak out of the ocean that way. We'll come back for the shoes."_

_They did so quietly, and went unnoticed by Serenity and her escort. Soon they had slipped back onto the streets, laughing at each other. _

"_You are positively drenched," she said._

"_You are too!" he accused her. "Ah, but what shall we do without our masks?"_

"_Be free!" she yelled, and her voice echoed down the darkened street._

"_Then you are free to tell me your name?"_

_At this moment, Ami turned away from Jadeite, perhaps looking for another escape route. Would he even recognize her name? His seemed to have a familiar ring to it, though she could not place where she had heard it before. When she turned to face him once more, she found that she was saved again._

"_We have to go," said a lovely lady wrapped in gold. "Have you seen the others?" Beside her a raven-haired girl was dressed in scarlet, her lips slightly swollen from kissing. _

"_The Nameless Beauty was on the beach," she said. She went to join her friends, but Jadeite stopped her._

"_Will you leave me without a good-bye or a name or a place to find you again? Perhaps I will drown in misery." His face was heavy with sadness._

_Ami bit her lip in indecision. She should give him something, anything. In the end, she seized him by the collar and kissed him. He was shocked at first, but pulled her closer when he regained his senses. _

_She smiled at his awestruck face as she began to walk away. "I leave you with a kiss, and a promise that we will meet again. Sometime."_

"And then I left," Ami said, blushing. She could not even believe that she had acted so boldly.

Her friends smiled at her, proud that their little, shy Ami had grown up so rapidly into a kiss stealing woman.

"How completely romantic!" Mina exclaimed. She had bothered to pull herself from dreaming about Michael to listen to the story.

"I can't believe I didn't see you on the beach," Serenity said.

"You were wrapped up in something else, weren't you?" Raye said, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"Tell us about your masked man, Serenity," Lita said. "You haven't said anything about him."

Serenity told a quick version of her story, managing to keep tears from her eyes.

"You told him you were Lunarian?" Mina said. "You are even braver than I am."

"So, tell us your story, dear Miss Jupiter," Serenity said, anxious to turn the conversation away from her night.

"Fine," Lita said, grinning as the memories returned.

_After being so mysteriously drawn into the arms of the tall man, Lita could not find her voice for a long time. There was a quiet ease in this man's manner and a peace in his movements. She felt utterly calm and fluid in his arms as he guided her over the uneven stones in the street. Even when she was turned away from him or he from her, she felt his eyes searching for her own, an unbreakable connection that bound them together._

"_My name is Nicholas," he said at an indeterminable point in their second dance._

"_Lady Lita," she said, surprised that she spoke her true name. He smiled, knowing that she had unintentionally told the truth._

"_A Lady? I am truly honored," he said, bowing deeply at the waist. _

"_As you should be," she laughed. He took her in his arms once more, holding her closely. Lita had always felt her size made her unladylike and graceless, but she seemed to fit flawlessly into his tall frame as if they had been made to hold one another._

"_May we leave this place, Lady?" he asked after another dance had drawn to a close and before a new one had begun. _

"_Yes, let's," she agreed, allowing herself to be led away from the clamor of the Street of Dreams and into quieter parts of the city. He traveled the streets so confidently that she knew this city was his own. "Where are you taking me, dear sir?"_

"_On a grand tour of the capital," he said. "I am the best guide a few dances can buy."_

_She grinned. "I am sure you are."_

_They arrived shortly at the gates of a large castle though Nephrite was careful not to take her to the side where a long string of sheets hung knotted out of a high window. _

"_This is where the Prince lives?" she said, wrapping her arms around the iron gates. _

"_Of course," he said. "Haven't you seen it?"_

"_No, never," she said. "I am not from the city." She was yet to lie to him, but was finding her honesty somewhat exhausting. _

"_Where are you from?"_

"_A distance place. I am only visiting."_

_He did not question her further, afraid of the consequences. Instead he brushed his fingertips against her cheek, gaining the full force of her beautiful stare. She was dreamy-eyed in this new place and with a strange man. Her eyes showed how much she trusted him, and he dared not betray that trust._

_He kissed her quickly and softly, only just grazing her lips with his own. She gasped afterwards in the fantastic surprise of this intimate gesture. _

"_Oh, Nicholas," she said quietly._

"_Nephrite," he told her, feeling once more the pressure of her trust. She guided his hand with her own to her face. His fingers were entwined in her brown locks, cradling her lightly._

"_Nephrite," she said, testing out the taste of her love's name. "An unusual name for an unusual man."_

"_I am unusual?" he asked amusedly. _

"_Of course. You are like no man I have ever met."_

_He kissed her again, leaving the impression of his lips on hers for a long time. This time she did not gasp, but drew herself closer to his body, sliding her arms around his shoulders as he wrapped her in an embrace unlike any either had experienced. They lingered in that embrace even after their lips had parted and their breaths came in gasps._

"_I will have to leave you before dawn," she whispered, her face in his neck. _

"_Not a moment before then," he said. _

_She looked up into his face, always relying on her eyes to pick up honesty. She glanced at the edges of his mask, then back at his gaze. He nodded, giving her permission to see who he really was. She slipped her fingertips beneath the green mask, lifting it gently away from his features. He looked as she supposed him to look; strong and deep. She pulled his hands to her face where he untied her mask and first beheld her face._

_His face gave away his shock._

"_What is it?" Lita asked, horrified to think he may find her ugly._

"_You are more beautiful than I imagined," said he. _

"_You are exactly how I imagined," she said. "Handsome."_

"_It is strange," Nephrite said, "but I knew that no matter what rested beneath your mask, I would love you just the same. You are a miracle to me."_

"_You are a wish come true to me," she said seriously. "We do not have long left; kiss me once more."_

_He chuckled, but obeyed his Lady's order, finding that he could not have disobeyed. He held her for as long as he could until the black was sliding soundlessly out of the dome of the sky._

"_It is time to leave," she said. They walked hand-in-hand towards the quieting Street of Dreams. She cast a gaze back on the castle. "Does the Prince hate magic?" she asked._

"_Perhaps."_

"_Do all Earthlings?"_

"_Most."_

"_Do you?"_

_There was a weight in this question that he sensed, but could not understand why his answer was so important to her. She looked meaningfully into his face, searching for truth in his answer._

"_No," he said._

_As they came back to the street, they released one another's hands and went their separate ways. Nephrite could not pull his mind away from her strange question and Lita could not take her thoughts from his honest answer._

"It looks like we were all more honest than we intended to be," Raye said.

"I was not honest," Mina argued. "I only invited him to the Moon."

"And that is an improvement on our tactics?" Lita asked.

"Perhaps."

Serenity stood as a maid came quickly out into the garden, twisting her hands nervously. "She is not coming?"

"No, Your Majesty," the maid said anxiously, her hand traveling to her mouth so as to bite at her nails.

"That is fine; thank you." The maid scurried back the way she had come as Serenity turned to her friends. "I believe we all have other things to do. I will see you at dinner."

She exited, quite saddened by the absence of the two people she loved most. Her friends stood also, sighing deeply. They separated without exchanging good-byes, each lost in thought as they attended to their own duties. The happy afternoon ended with the sun hidden behind a cloud and memories covered in shadows of sadness.

Author's Note: Once again, I did divert from the standard couples, but it just worked better this way. I'm not quite sure why. I think I like Ami and Lita's nights the best of all though it was only coincidence they shared the same chapter. Sorry about the delays on chapters, by the by, but I'm afraid they will probably continue for a bit because I do not like the next chapters and have some major editing and revising to do. Review if it so pleases you.

Until the next time,

Ai No Senshi


	5. Prelude to a Second Masquerade

Queen Selenity returned to the palace so late at night that it was nearer to morning. She was exhausted as she navigated the quiet halls, weary after trying to fight her way through twisted politics and break down walls of prejudice. She passed Serenity's door and stopped, moaning.

She had forgotten all about the tea she was supposed to take with her daughter. She was certain that Serenity would be absolutely furious with her in the morning if she did not do something quickly. Sighing, she opened the door silently and slipped in to make her apologies.

"Serenity, dear," she whispered as she sat on her daughter's bed.

"I am awake," the Princess said, for sleep wasn't coming easily to her with the masquerade fresh in her mind.

"I'm sorry for missing tea again."

"I know."

"I was in an argument with Earth," she said and began to ramble on. "They will not let me near to their Prince and scarcely will let me speak to anyone else. I just know if I could get a meeting with Prince Darien, he would understand. You know how badly the split hurt both planets' economies years ago. Surely he knows that."

"Mother," Serenity said, cutting off the Queen's exhale of worries, "I understand. It is important what you are doing."

Selenity sighed, looking down at her daughter who had still not turned to face her mother and instead kept her eyes out the window. "It is not as important as you."

Serenity sat up quickly and looked her mother in the eyes. "It is more important than anything else," she said abruptly. "I do not hold it against you. I want you to succeed, Mother."

The Queen was surprised by this sudden passionate interest in the success of the negotiations. An angry and determined gleam shone in Serenity's eyes. "I will," Selenity assured her daughter. "Sooner or later, I will."

Serenity laid back down, her gaze once again fixed on the night sky.

"Sooner is better."

Serenity and her Court greeted the day of the second masquerade with very different attitudes.

Serenity awoke slowly, easing herself into what she expected to be a difficult day. Her bones felt heavy as she stepped out of bed, stretching until she felt like the ceiling could only be inches away from her fingers. Though she knew that she would be imagining his face all night, she tried to push the memories away, tuck them into a secret corner of her mind.

"He is from Earth," she said to her reflection. "You are practically pure magic."

She wondered if she could ever give up her magic. Could she cut off the source, keep herself from glowing, from glittering? How much of her identity could she hide in order to be with him? She sighed as her silver aura glimmered. She would never be able to sever herself from the Moon, from the magic. She was part of the current that flowed through the lives of all Lunarians. To deny that would be to deny her very existence.

Raye awoke and promptly lit a fire to warm what seemed to be a freezing room. She sat before it, looking deep into the heart of the flames, into her own heart. In the purple core of her fire, his face appeared, smiling. She found in him an echo of her own passion and could not ignore his gaze. Beads of sweat began dripping from her forehead ass she struggled to smother that part of the fire, if only for tonight. She would hope for him from the first dance to the last. She could not possibly get her wish.

Ami was out of bed before the sun and peeked above the sky. She rose early to get ready for what she knew would be a challenging day, not only for herself, but for her friends. Her best way of defending herself from feeling brokenhearted would be to help her fellow Guardians heal quickly. She dressed and groomed herself, then began on a list of chores she had set for herself. If she followed the list, she would no time to think of his laugh or his smile or his playful. More importantly, she would not have time to think of the sound of her own laugh.

Mina had never fallen asleep at all. The state of love lives around the palace were distracting her, keeping her from falling into her dreams. She felt Serenity's utter sadness, Ami's denial of her feelings, Raye's vain attempts to forget, and Lita's determination to be happy once again. As the Goddess of Love, she was certain in her feelings of love and certain of the man she had chosen to love. She would see him that very night. She smiled at the thought of his face, his smile, his luxurious silver hair. Finally, late in the night, she fell asleep to the sound of his low voice whispering promises of love.

Lita was running as the sun appeared. Her breaths came in and out, in and out, a pattern which could be counted upon. The truth was that she loved him. As she ran down the empty streets of the capital, she could feel him with her, stride for stride, breath for breath. This ghost would be all she had until she could find him again.

She had to find him again.

"Remind me again why must we sneak into a ship? Why don't we just ask for one?"

"Because no great adventure is complete without a hijacking," Jadeite said. "It's a quite simple rule; I don't understand why you don't understand."

Darien stared at his youngest General, wondering for perhaps the one hundredth time why he ever gave him the honor of such a title.

"Just humor him," Malachite whispered. "I made sure that no one would be around anyway and told the shipmaster we would be taking one."

Darien did remember why he made Malachite the leader of his Generals, however.

"Must we all go?" Nephrite asked, quite sick of the sneaking out business and wishing with all his heart that one day they may all grow up.

"I am afraid so," Zoicite said, though he was happy to attend. He knew his Princess would be there because of her close alliance to the Moon. "It will help you forget your Lady Lita, anyway."

"Isn't Lita the name of the Princess from Jupiter?" Jadeite said casually while peering around a corner. He signaled that the way was clear though everyone else had already left him behind.

"I believe it is," Malachite said, raising his eyebrows at the random knowledge of the crazy General. Nephrite looked suddenly interested in this Ball, pulling his mask over his face.

"When do we leave?"

They arrived at a small, discreet ship that was already prepared to launch.

"How lucky for us!" Jadeite grinned, rubbing his hands together in a fiendish way.

"Oh, yes, how lucky," Darien agreed, rolling his eyes. His stomach was knotted as they boarded, preparing to leave for the home of his beloved. He wondered what awaited him at the capital of magic. He wished that love awaited him on the silver planet, but could not help but believe that it was only sorrow.

The ballroom was enchanted on the night of the Moon masquerade that promised to be quite different than the former dance the ladies had attended. A chandelier glittered high above them, and shed a wide ring of light, but where shadows dared to spread, the silvery night blossoms bloomed, emitting a soft light. They sat as centerpieces at each table and were above the large doorways.

They had given up the formality of thrones for such an event; something for which Serenity was very grateful, though not as much as Mina.

"He shouldn't know how close I am to the Moon," she explained as the five prepared for yet another masked party. "That would only complicate matters."

Serenity abruptly dropped her tube of lipstick, turning to look incredulously at the Venusian. "You don't think things are complicated already? You don't know each other's names, nor faces, and you don't know the slightest thing about each other in reality. Isn't that complicated?"

She looked sorrowfully at Serenity. "Don't take your frustrations out on me, Serenity. It is not my fault that your heart is breaking so, and, Goddess of Love though I may be, I cannot fix it."

She tied her mask around her head, once more a golden color though her dress was scarlet, then stood and left the room without another word, gone to find the man who had promised her his company.

"I didn't mean to be angry with her," Serenity said, pulling the silver mask around her face. She was careful to cover the crescent moon on her forehead, in hopes that tonight no one would recognize her again. "But it is true. She knows nothing of this man, yet she believes things will work out so well."

"That is who Mina is," Lita said. "She will believe the very best until the very worst happens."

"And even then she will never accept it," Ami agreed.

Raye slipped her arms around Serenity's shoulders in a loose hug. "Don't let this get you down, Serena. Tonight there will be many handsome men who would love your company. Grant them a wish, will you?"

"You're right," Serenity sighed, with a gloomy smile. "There is bound to be someone else."

"That's the spirit," Ami said. "Now shall we leave? I have a man to forget as well."

The men from Earth arrived on a small landing strip just outside the city limits and near the Sea of Serenity. Jadeite hurried them along, babbling about adventure. His friends were more wary on an enemy planet where sorcery was used so freely. Already signs of it were springing up in the forms of glittering homes and abnormally colored plants.

"What a strange carrot," Jadeite observed upon seeing a purple root for sale at a roadside stand. That was all the further he let the thought travel, however, leaving his friends once again exasperated.

They were quickly approaching the trickiest part of their grand adventure: getting into the Moon's Masquerade. Knights stood all around the Palace which glittered silver in the torchlight and couples were being checked in at the gate.

"Have we thought of fake names?" Darien asked nervously as they drew closer to the queue line of nobility and carriages.

"No, we are not going in that way," Malachite said, steering them down a service alley that ran along the high courtyard walls of the Palace. It was empty and dark as their footsteps echoed ahead of them.

"Just how are we getting in?" Nephrite asked, concerned for their well-being and thinking perhaps staying on Earth would have been the better choice. After all, if the Prince and the other Generals were killed as political prisoners, he would run the Earth. This thought did not strike him as somewhat monstrous, merely logical.

"Gents, remember, you are extra waiters that were ordered here because the other waiters have unexpectedly fallen ill," Malachite instructed.

"What did you do to the waiters?" Jadeite asked though his voice was more excited than worried.

"Nothing, you twit, it's a lie!"

They came to a small side door where a man stood looking quite bored and somewhat upset that he wasn't inside.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" he said, sounding more peeved than polite.

"We are the waiters that were sent for," Malachite said quite confidently.

"I believe the waiters have already arrived," the man said, suspicious of the five men.

"We were called in at the last moment. My older brothers were supposed to be here, but they fell ill this afternoon."

The man opened his mouth, but Malachite spoke first.

"Food poisoning. Now, if you please, there must be trays waiting for us."

The man pressed his lips together in consternation and considered for a moment before stepping aside and allowing them in.

As they entered the Royal Moon Palace, their hearts were beating rapidly, their thoughts were of love, and their lips were twisted into grins.


	6. Magical Reunions

An hour into the masquerade, the Queen had failed to speak to her daughter and Serenity was sharing a table with a lovely red-headed gentleman. He made her laugh, telling stories about his recent trip to Mars, where he found that he was quite allergic to an element in the Martian wind. She smiled just right at him, giving him the impression that she was interested when in fact her thoughts kept traveling straight back to Endymion.

"Who are you then?" the red-headed man asked her.

She smiled, not sure she wanted to speak her name aloud, happy to be anonymous though she was surprised he did not recognize her by her resemblance to the Queen.

"I am no one," she said. "Shall we dance?"

His smile faltered at her refusal to be named, but he was glad to join her in the dance. She did enjoy his company as they spun around the ballroom, and it seemed that perhaps, for only a moment, her heart would stop aching. Maybe, for just one instant, she would forget the sorrowful, blue eyes that had begged her not to leave.

The song changed to a formal waltz, and they began dancing synchronized with the other couples in the hall. She peered out over the red-headed man's shoulder, and there he was. Slipping into the ballroom was a man in a white mask, his hair dark, but as soon as he had appeared, he was gone. Her heart slowed once more, and she closed her eyes as she danced.

She was spun outwards, turning to change partners. Still her eyes remained closed. If she could imagine that it was his arms that held her, maybe she could be content with her dreams.

"Open your eyes, Selene," her partner whispered, next to her ear.

She couldn't catch her breath as she opened her eyes to see the familiar smile that lit his face.

"Endymion," she breathed. "Am I dreaming?"

"No, my dear, you are quite awake." He took her by the hand, leading her away.

"This way," she whispered, taking him out a small servant's door. He was surprised to follow her through a small corridor that led back to the kitchens, filled with people too busy to notice them passing through. They then exited out into a large hallway, empty and dimly lit.

"Where are we going?" he asked her.

"To the gardens. We won't be disturbed there."

"And how do you know this?" he asked, becoming ever more certain that Nephrite had been right; he was clinging to the hand of the Princess of the Moon.

"I cannot say."

He was about to speak again when they stepped outside. It was here that he could not believe his eyes. Above him floated the Earth like he had never seen it, a large blue sapphire radiating light across the stars, and below him glowed what seemed to be stars growing from the ground. The silvery night blooms grew in vast numbers all around the Moon Palace, feeding off the constant magic that Serenity and her mother provided.

"What are they?" he asked, referring to the flowers.

She watched his face carefully as she spoke. "They are magic."

He flinched, and turned to look at her. "Truly?"

"Yes. Is it so horrible?"

He thought of what he had always been taught: magic was abnormal and wrong. It was shifty and those who possessed it were not to be trusted, but they were simply beautiful flowers, and they were natural here.

"No, I guess not."

"Am I so horrible?" she asked, her voice grave.

He looked at her, his eyes wide. "Of course not! You are beautiful, wonderful." He cupped her cheek in his hand. "You are the best thing I have ever known."

"But I am magic."

"What?" he asked, his hand dropping to his side.

She lifted her hand, twirling her fingers through the air, and they were followed by orbs of silver light, dancing around her. "I am magic; it flows in my veins. The thing which people from Earth fear and hate is at the center of my soul."

Darien watched as the light encompassed her entire being, the warmth caressing his skin. He feared her in that moment, but was drawn to that warmth, that light, her essence. He turned away from her and the night blossoms. He turned towards the stone walls of the palace: the cold, gray which he knew.

She stopped glowing, releasing the magic. "Oh, Endymion, you cannot accept me, can you? I am a monster to you."

"No, that's not true," he said, tears stinging at his eyes. He faced her to find salty trails sliding down her face. "No, don't cry." He pulled her close, her ear pressed against his chest. "You are beautiful."

She sniffled quietly. Her hand was pressed his heart, and she could feel it beat inside him. She could feel his life flowing through him, the blood, the oxygen, the…

She looked up at him, astonishment written in her features.

"But Endymion, there is magic inside of you!"

"No, no there isn't," he denied her words. "Magic is not born into people on Earth."

"I am not wrong! I can feel it, like sunshine on a warm afternoon…" Her hand was still pressed against him, and she sent her magic in him, tugging on the light that was inside of him.

"No!" he shouted, seeing the silvery light soak into him.

She slowly pulled her hand away and with it came golden light, spilling out from within him.

"That is your magic, Endymion!"

He was horrified as the golden light surrounded him, the magic that she claimed was his. "No," he whimpered. "Please, Selene, make it stop, please." He slid down to the ground, looking down at his glowing hands. He couldn't be magic, a sorcerer, a _witch_…

"I can't," she whispered. She hadn't expected him to react this way, as if his own body was traitorous to him. "Only you can; it is yours."

"I don't know how…"

"Wish it away, wish any thing you please and it will do it."

"Go away," he begged. "Go away."

The light disappeared.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him, hugging his neck. "I am so sorry."

It was then that an evil thought made itself known within Darien's mind. He placed a hand on the back of her head, as if he was hugging her back, but instead he tugged on the end of her mask. The knot came undone and when she realized what he had done and had drawn back, the mask fluttered away.

"No, Endymion!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up to her face a moment too late. He shouldn't know, she thought. He should never know…

"It's true!" he said. "You are the Princess! The crescent moon rests on your forehead."

She removed her hands, and nodded solemnly. "My name is Serenity. Tell me yours now; speak the truth."

He had removed her mask in revenge for drawing the magic out within him, but somehow it seemed as if he was indebted to her again, as if he should remove his mask as well.

He did, and they looked at each other for the first time.

"My name is Darien," he said. Her mouth formed a small "o" in recognition of the name.

"I am the Prince of the Earth."

Mina knew the very instant her gentleman entered the room and she immediately left her stunned dancing partner to hurry to Michael's side.

"Oh, dear Michael!" she said, throwing her arms around his shoulders and kissing him quickly.

"Lady, you are brilliant as always," he complimented her, smiling lovingly at the light-hearted blonde. Though it had only been two days since he last saw her, he found that he felt more alive now that she was near him. It seemed that more light filled the room when she smiled.

Ami was passing by, laughing louder than Mina had ever heard the small princess laugh.

"Ami, dear, you must meet Michael," Mina said, startling Ami as she gripped her by the arm and yanked her over to make introductions. "Michael, this is my dear friend Ami."

"How do you do?" Ami asked, removing her hand from her partner's to extend it to Michael. It was then that Mina spotted Ami's source of happiness and Michael seemed to instantly recognize the man. "This is Jadeite," Ami said, blushing as she introduced the first man she ever loved to the Goddess who would know instantly.

Jadeite grinned wildly. "Hullo," he said.

Mina felt as if she may explode with happiness that Ami's young gentleman had found a way to her side. Her favorite two things were deeply knotted into the masquerades: love and adventure.

"How did you get here?" she asked in a whisper.

"He came with me, Lady," Michael said next to her ear, knowing that she would be thrilled that he dared to not only come, but brought someone along as well.

"Fantastic!" Mina said, beaming with pride in her beau.

"It seems Endymion has found what he was looking for," Jadeite said laughingly. The two couples watched as the dark-haired man slipped away with a delicate silver beauty.

"Did you bring him as well?" Mina asked, her excitement ever increasing. "That is our friend he is exiting with!"

The coincidences were beginning to be somewhat alarming, but only Malachite and Ami were worrying. Soon, however, their fun-loving partners drew them away to dance and laugh and forget everything they were anxious about.

Mina pulled her Michael to the middle of the floor, spinning wildly with a constant and surprising grace. He knew her well, despite her wildness, and managed to tame her into a measured dance under his lead. Though he smiled and kissed and laughed, he always felt as if he was lying. A voice in the back of his mind asked how much longer he could keep up the charade; how much longer could he wear a mask?

"What is wrong?" she asked him, a pouting frown tugging down the corners of her lips. He seemed to be looking through her instead of at her.

He was startled by her intuitiveness. "Nothing, my love," he said reassuringly, but she could not be swayed.

"Come; I will show you something that will make you happy." She led him away from the dancers and music. "This balcony has the most fantastic view."

"View? You are all I need to see, Lady," he said smoothly.

Mina giggled at how debonair he was. They came out into the night air still laughing until their eyes fell on a devastated couple.

Across the ballroom, Raye and her perfect partner were once again dancing, comfortable in their knowledge of each other, beaming with joy of another meeting.

"So you are the Princess of Mars?" Zoicite asked, grinning. He loved the way her dark eyes glowed as she looked so warmly up at him and how her arm rested on his. When he was with her, warmth filled the room and reminded him of when he was a child and they lit a fire in the hearth to fight away the cold. She felt like home.

"I am."

"I compared you to yourself," he laughed.

"You did!" Raye said, throwing her head back. "It was quite amusing, I can assure you." She had enjoyed her little trick at their last meeting and was somewhat upset that she wasn't able to see his face when he realized her identity. Their words fell between them, destroyed by the power of their shared gaze and simultaneous steps.

"I'm afraid this is our last night, Princess," he said after a time of silence and smiles. He felt heavier as he admitted what he already knew to her.

Raye became concerned at his grave tone. "But why? I realize you must have noble status, but surely you are not so bound to Earth."

"I am," he said. "I am a General of the Prince Endymion."

She stopped dancing. "Oh." Her hopes were quickly being dashed against the harsh rocks of reality. Her eyes grew darker, no longer burning with intensity.

"But I can never love another like you," he said, wishing for the ambers to reappear in her eyes. "I swear to you that no other woman shall ever take your place."

Raye ripped away her mask in anger, scowling at him. "And what good is a promise? It is only words! Do not swear such a thing to me."

She turned away from him, tears burning as heatedly as her frustrations.

"I can't give you anything but words! Raye, please," he begged her, gripping her arm, "do not be angry with me."

"I am not angry with you, but with fate, with destiny, with politics!" She touched his face. "If it must end, let us be the ones to end it, not our circumstances." She pulled him away from the crowds of nobility and royalty, away beneath the starlit sky where only she could see him, only she could love him. She looked up at him, her whole face aflame with passion and love and sorrow.

"Kiss me for the last time."

It was not long after their last kiss that an orb of light raced to the Martian Princess's side beckoning her to join with her friends. She did not look at Zoicite nor speak to him as she raced away to their final goodbye with her first and last love at her heels.


	7. Tearful Partings

Lita felt… empty.

That was the best word she could assign to her emotions as she switched partners yet again. Each man seemed to be putting on a rouse for her benefit. Some were daunted by her height or by her status. Others were only interested in her friends and were merely polite to her. She found in no man at this masquerade the honesty she'd found in Nephrite. She winced as she thought his name. She stood on the edge of the dance, halfway in shadows, sipping champagne. She knew if she had another glass, she would be numb enough not to feel the void in her chest.

"Perhaps I've had enough," she murmured to herself, for her eyes had to be betraying her. A man with long, dark locks was making his away across the room, his eyes fixed on her face. As he reached her side, he took her hand and kissed it.

"Lita," he greeted her in a whisper, his voice gently rolling around her name. She was close to tears, feeling the emptiness fill quickly with his face and voice.

"Nephrite," she whispered. She left her glass of champagne on the table to join the tall man on the dance floor.

"I have missed you so much, Lady," he said truthfully as she lay her head on his chest.

"I have missed you, too," she said. He felt familiar and safe to her.

"I must tell you something," he said quietly. He knew now that neither of them were ordinary citizens. He knew that he owed her the truth of his identity.

"No," Lita said, rejecting his honesty for the first and only time. "That truth will hurt too much." She was as instinctive as he was, but she refused to wake up from this dream a second before it was necessary.

"If that is what you wish."

"I do," she said. "Tell me about something else."

"Did I ever tell you about the first time I fell in love?"

"No," she said, his voice lulling her into a quiet calm.

"I went to a masquerade on the Earth," he murmured. "I'll admit, I did not really want to go. I only went to keep an eye on some of my more senseless friends. But as I was standing there in the middle of a crowded street, the entire world became still. I looked up and my eyes landed upon the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, masked or not. She was tall and graceful in a confident way. When she met my gaze, she demanded my attention and made me feel as if my entire life had led up to this point; this point in which I would fall in love…"

All too soon, the couple was interrupted.

"Lita," came Ami's nervous voice. Immediately Lita and her partner knew that the truth had caught up with them.

Ami, once again in the role as the responsible Guardian, did not plan to do anything more than keep a careful watch on her all of her friends at this second masquerade. She watched Serenity feign her way through a conversation with a handsome gentleman. She saw Raye change partners with every dance and appear more disappointed after leaving the arms of each man. She looked on as Mina genuinely smiled and enjoyed herself, but always was watching the door for her gentleman to appear. Finally, she eyed Lita's utter determination to find someone special to dance with, and how the Jupiterian Princess was failing in her attempts.

She felt somewhat saddened by her resumed status of chaperone, but thought it was where she had always belonged anyway.

"My lady!" came a loud and excited yell.

Ami looked up to see a short-haired blonde bounding his way across the room to her side. His grin overtook the rest of his features and Ami felt a smile explode across her face.

"How did you get here?" Ami asked of her friend. They were sitting around a small table away from the dance floor. Ami insisted that she could not dance tonight for there was no lying at a Royal Lunarian masquerade.

"First, I hijacked a ship," he began, eyes gleaming in the retelling of his feats.

"You disobeyed the law?" Ami gasped for she had never broke any sort of rule whether or not it was law.

"Of course! I would do anything to get to milady's side."

"But how did you know I would be here?" She had never extended an invitation to him and was certainly surprised, though pleasantly, at his appearance on the Moon.

"I did not know; I only hoped."

She grinned at him as he took her hand to lead her into the dance despite her protests. She was overtaken once more by his happiness, caught in the tide of such a strong emotion. The rest of the room turned to static, and only his face was clear. However, she had grown used to this effect that he had on her.

"How did you get in the palace?" Ami asked, still clinging to his hand as if he were leading her on a great adventure along the edge of a dangerous cliff.

"I disguised myself as a waiter," he said simply. She laughed at his childlike honesty.

"Ami, dear, you must meet Michael," came Mina's bright voice, crashing into Ami's limited view of the world. "Michael, this is my dear friend Ami."

Ami was startled as she turned to face a silver-haired man, hurrying to recover her polite manners. "How do you do?" she asked, removing her hand from her partner's to extend it to Michael. He politely accepted it, shaking it slightly. She blushed as she noticed Mina's eyes focus on Jadeite's face.

"This is Jadeite," Ami said, blushing darker as she introduced the first man she ever loved to the Goddess who would know instantly.

Jadeite grinned wildly. "Hullo," he said. Ami stifled a giggle at his inability to be shy. She took his hand once more, unable to keep away from him. She was sure Mina noted such an action.

"How did you get here?" Mina asked in a whisper, smiling widely.

"He came with me, Lady," her partner said next to her ear. Ami knew that the adventure was becoming almost too amazing for Mina to take.

"Fantastic!" Mina said, beaming with pride in her beau. Ami stomach became knotted. She did not believe in coincidences and it was making her nervous.

"It seems Endymion has found what he was looking for," Jadeite said laughingly, unaware of the way Ami's body had become rigid. The two couples watched as the dark-haired man slipped away with a delicate silver beauty.

"Did you bring him as well?" Mina asked, her excitement ever increasing. "That is our friend he is exiting with!"

Ami felt sick. No, no, no…

Jadeite? Hadn't she heard that name before?

"Jadeite," she whispered aloud as Mina spun away. Her partner turned to look at her, noticing her panic and worry.

"So your name is Ami," he said, grinning with the secret knowledge. He hoped to take her away from the thoughts troubling her. Even as the youngest, he knew that something was off about this masquerade, about this girl.

"Yes," she said absent-mindedly. His name echoed through her head, nudging at dormant memories that would not awake.

"Ami," he purred into her ear.

She forgot about his name and could only focus on his warm breath tickling her cheek. She giggled as he kissed her neck playfully.

"Let's dance," he said excitedly, "whether or not we can."

She agreed and he spun her in a graceful manner, somehow controlled despite his wildness. His face was more than beautiful to her now.

"I long to see you again without your mask," he said as they began to slow.

"Not tonight, I'm afraid," Ami said, fearful that someone would address her as a Princess in front of him. She laid her head on his chest, looking out on the crowd of happy couples, though she was sure no one was as happy as she was.

"What are you afraid of?" Jadeite asked quietly, one of the most serious things he had ever said to her.

"The truth," she whispered cryptically. Her eyes fell on a tall brunette couple and she had the sudden feeling of vertigo.

"Lita," she said. "Lita is dancing with a man."

Jadeite followed her gaze to see one of his friends dancing with an exotically tall woman. He grinned, not picking up on her anxious tone. "That is my friend Nephrite," he laughed. "I've never seen him smile like that."

"Nephrite," Ami repeated. "Zoicite. Jadeite." The world fell out from beneath her feet. If only she had been more careful, responsible, thoughtful, they could have avoided the coming tragedy. She felt like crying while knowing her friends might be doing the very same thing.

She looked honestly into his playful face. "You are the Generals of the Prince Darien of Earth."

"Y-yes," he stuttered out. "I don't understand…"

Ami broke away from his arms, heading straight for her friend. She could feel the sadness seeping into the room like ice, brushing against her skin, reaching out for her friends with icicle fingers. How many of them were crying? How many?

"Lita," she called out. Lita turned to her as two orbs raced into the room.

"Oh," Lita said as she saw Ami's face and the glittering orbs. Raye was suddenly at their side. She had been crying.

"Let's find them," the Princess from Mars said. They hurriedly left the ballroom, following the orbs with three Earthen men at their heels. Three men they could not love anymore.

Out on the balcony, a silence rested that seemed as long as time itself, and as heavy as a thousand worlds. Of all the twists of fate, how could their fates be so cruel as to form such an impossible match? Even if they should love each other, they could never be a couple; they was as star-crossed as any two lovers could be, cursed to be apart.

"This cannot be true," Serenity said, looking down at her hands in her lap. They were pale in the silvery light, as pale as all the magic within her. For a moment, she thought she must truly be a monster, and her hands were talons. Oh, he could not be the Prince of the Earth! Not her Endymion.

But his name is not Endymion, she thought to herself. His name is Darien.

And he is not mine.

"It is true," he said, his voice barely slipping between his lips. How could she be such a lovely creature filled with such horrible things?

I am filled with those same things, he thought. She showed me the magic. She awakened it.

Fresh tears were cascading down Serenity soft cheeks; relentlessly, they poured from her eyes like a never-ending rain. Darien saw them, and though he wished to wipe them away, to hold her to his chest and never let go, he could not find the will to touch her. He turned his face away, unable to look at her just as she could not look at him.

At that moment, a woman's chiming laugh floated towards them, followed by the deep rumble of a man's voice. A couple stepped out into the Earthlight, wrapped up in each other, as happy as two had ever been. The woman stopped, gasped.

"Serenity," Mina cried, hurrying towards her unmasked friend. The man's voice stopped her.

"Darien?" Malachite questioned, having seen his Prince's face downcast in such apparent agony. He directed his eyes towards the silver-haired beauty sitting in front of the Prince. "Princess Serenity," he whispered, understanding at last why Darien sat in such despair.

"Prince Darien?" Mina said, her eyes falling on the Prince and her Princess's tears. "Oh, Serenity…" She fell to her knees beside Serenity, holding the Princess to her chest, and stroking her hair. Serenity's pain was flowing out in waves, and the night blossoms began to dim.

"Lady?" Malachite asked. His Lady of the Sunlight was apparently very well acquainted with the Princess of the Moon. Too well.

Mina removed her mask. "My name is Princess Mina of Venus. I am a Guardian of the Princess Serenity."

Malachite sadly pulled his mask away. "I am Malachite, General of the Prince Darien."

There was quiet before Mina began to cry as well. Malachite helped Darien to his feet.

"I think it is best we leave, Your Highness," he said. "Where are the others?"

Serenity looked up at him. "Others?" Tonight there was only one reason Earthlings would set foot on the Moon: to come to the masquerade to meet with her friends. "Mina," she whispered. "What of Ami, and Lita, and Raye?"

Mina fully realized the meaning of "others." The men who were dancing with all of her friends; they had come with her Michael, now Malachite. She turned her thoughts away from her own shattered heart and thought of the pain that would soon fill her friends'. "We must find them."

The two Princesses fled inside the castle, followed closely by the men they had to get away from forever.

"We cannot enter like this," Serenity said, referring to their unmasked faces. "Should we call them instead?"

"I think that would be best," Mina agreed. She reached forward for Serenity's hand as they ran closer to the sounds of the party. From their grip came three balls of light which raced ahead, disappearing around a corner.

"Here," Mina said, stopping in one of the many hallways which ran near to the ballroom. "We'll wait here."

"Magic!" Malachite hissed before he knew what was out of his mouth. Mina grew angry at him for speaking as if she should be damned.

"Yes, magic!" she said, and threw a golden orb in his direction. "Do not be so quick to hate others, Malachite. Your Prince seems to have a few secrets of his own."

The orb now circled Malachite as if it was his own personal moon. He tried to swat it away, but it continued to orbit him without fail.

"Mina, please stop it!" he begged of her, but Mina had already sentenced him to this punishment and would not lift it.

"Ask your Prince to help you. He could stop it, I'm sure."

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. The six figures were silent as they rounded the corner. The women knew what was happening and the men had enough sense to know it was not good.

"Serenity!" Ami cried softly, seeing the Princess's face. She had failed to protect her friend and felt destroyed by the failure.

"It's the Moon Princess!" Jadeite said, always stating the absolutely obvious. It was then he spied his friends, and the glowing golden orb surrounding Malachite.

"Has she cursed you, Malachite?" Nephrite asked matter-of-factly.

"It was I who placed that magic around him, though it is no such thing as a curse," Mina said.

"You are like them, aren't you?" Jadeite asked quietly of Ami. "You are a Guardian."

Ami nodded sadly, stepping to the side of her friends. "I am the Princess Ami of Mercury." Jadeite was truly speechless for the first time in his life.

It was at this time that Nephrite was forced to face what he had been fearing: his Lita was too close to the light of the Moon. "And you?" he asked Lita. His dark eyes were saddened and fearful. He knew what words she would speak, though he wished he would never hear them.

"I am the Princess Lita of Jupiter, Guardian of Serenity."

"And I am the Princess Raye of Mars, Guardian of Serenity," Raye said though Zoicite was already aware of her identity. Lita and Raye walked away from the men whom they loved and circled their arms around their friends.

Darien broke his lengthy silence. "All of you are Royalty and servants of the Moon and we are the five men from Earth with whom you could never be, Prince and Generals alike."

The five couples turned their unmasked faces away from each other.

"You should leave now," Serenity said quietly. "There is no place for you here, nor will there ever be."

"I won't leave until this curse is lifted from me," Malachite said angrily.

Serenity looked sorrowfully up to Darien. "You must remove it. Just wish it so."

He pulled his gaze away from her sparkling eyes. Would his Generals damn him if he succeeded in lifting the magic? He reached out for the orb, willing it to jump into his hand. It did so, much to the horror of some of his friends. He then closed his fist around it, and it disappeared because he wanted it to.

"Darien," Zoicite said. "You can use magic?"

"It was the Moon Princess!" Malachite accused, pointing at Serenity. "She did this to him!"

"I did nothing to harm him," Serenity said sorrowfully. "I never would."

"You did!" Malachite yelled, gripping her by the arms and lifting her from the ground. She looked sadly at him while behind her four blazes of light lit the hall. Malachite dropped her in horror as they all turned to see the four women glowing as if on fire.

"We are leaving now," Zoicite said calmly, steering his leader away from the Moon Princess.

"It's best you do," Raye called to him, finally vocalizing what she had been thinking all night. "You cannot love me anymore, and I cannot love you."

"Ami," Jadeite whispered, "I am sorry."

Ami began to weep at his words, for he would never lie to her; he was truly sorry.

Nephrite met Lita's eyes regretfully. He seemed to apologize for their circumstances and pray for her forgiveness and blessing.

Malachite did not look at any of them, but left without another word.

Darien turned to look at Serenity, who had crumpled to the floor and was kneeling as if she was bowing to the executioner. In another life, he would have loved her without fail. In other circumstances, he would have never left her side, but his life was cursed in this way.

"I'll always miss you," he said quietly.

When Serenity dared to look up, he had gone.

Forever.


	8. Waking Up and Running Away

The next morning dawned gray and dreary on both planets. The clouds hung heavily in the sky, while rain fell fast to the ground in great drops. On Earth, the Prince spent the entire day staring out his window, watching the rain flow down like teardrops, and always, thinking of teardrops, he remembered Serenity.

Malachite sat near him, watching the gray morning drift on with a face molded into a permanent scowl. He should have known when she invited him to the Moon, but he hadn't listened to his instincts. The other Generals sat around the room in similar states of waking comatose. Their eyes vacantly stared at the sky though secretly they were searching for the Moon. They did not speak and had not in quite some time. Every once in a while, one of them would fall asleep, only to awake to find he wasn't dreaming; he really was alone; last night had occurred. Zoicite was taking his disappointment the best for he had been preparing for it since he learned of Raye's identity. Nephrite sighed from his seat in the corner. He blamed no one for this misfortune, especially not his long lost Lita. Jadeite was crashing hard on this heartbreak, sprawled clumsily across the floor in utter sadness. All servants were told not to enter the Prince's room. Today was a day of mourning.

On the Moon, Serenity remained in her bed with her eyes closed, hiding beneath the blankets. Her guardians were spread throughout her room, each quiet. Ami stared out the window, tracing the rivulets of rain which snaked down the glass. With Jadeite, she had learned the secrets to enjoying life and what all the talk about love really was. Now, without Jadeite, she learned of the pain of heartache.

Lita laid on the floor, staring at the ceiling, but seeing nothing. She was the only one who had not cried, though inside of her a storm raged on. She was drenched in sorrow, her heart thundering in agony. She swore to herself that she would grow older and get married and have children. One day she would forget the Earthling. One day.

Raye sat cross-legged on the floor, staring down at the charm of love she had been wearing since she met Zoicite. Finally, in a moment of anger and desperation, she set it afire in her hand, watching it as it became only a small pile of ash on the floor. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, she thought. Now I will forget him.

Mina laid on the bed next to Serenity. She was severely saddened that as the Goddess of Love, she had been denied love, and was disappointed in herself for giving her love to a man so unworthy. It was Malachite who had lashed out so strongly against magic, against them all. What a horrid, ignorant man he had turned out to be.

Serenity was motionless beneath her blankets. She had cried every tear it seemed, and inside she was hollow and empty; a crevice that could never be filled again. She shoved away her memories and fought them throughout the day. She prayed to forget him, as the brokenhearted do. She heard the rain softly fall outside her windows. She remembered ocean waves and blue eyes. Her chest ached; her head hurt.

At some time, she decided to get up. She walked aimlessly around her room, but avoided the mirror. She did not wish to see the sadness she knew was written across her face. She pushed the curtains aside to see the rain fall into great puddles on the stones. The whole world seemed to be painted gray and somber. She was glad for it; she could not stand a beautiful day.

Her Guardians watched her, finding in her face the sorrow which was probably etched into their own.

"What do we do now?" she asked, pressing her palm against the cool glass of the windows. "What do we do?"

"Go back to normal," Ami said, "as if it never happened."

"Forget," agreed Lita. "Just forget him."

"Avoid the memories. Hide them in your heart of hearts," Raye chimed in.

"Fight!" Mina said passionately, rising from her spot on the bed with a wicked gleam in her eye. "Fight to keep those we love!" She paused, remembering how horrible Malachite had been. "At least you should!"

Serenity looked to the sky where a faint sliver of the Earth was visible. To fight or to forget?

"Think of how you felt when you were with them," Mina begged of her friends. "Think of how they looked at you as if you were the most important person in the entire Universe, how they made you smile all the way down to your core, how when they held you, you were invincible!" The Goddess of Love wove the thoughts delicately through the heads of her friends, painting pictures they could not ignore.

"I laughed," Ami said quietly, gazing at the sky. She giggled, tears filling her eyes. "Oh, how I laughed."

"He is my perfect partner," Raye said, joining her friends by the window. "The other half of my soul."

"He is my true love," Lita said loudly. Lightening cracked outside the window as her eyes turned towards the sky.

"He is my happy ending," Serenity said, "my Endymion."

"Then shouldn't you fight to keep them?" Mina said with charisma only she could achieve. "By joining with the Earth's royalty, we can speed up the treaty processes Selenity is involved in!"

"They hate us on Earth," Ami said quietly. "They hate our magic."

Mina was not phased by this obvious argument. She grinned. "Then we will just have to change their minds."

"The Queen can help us," Ami said, a glimmer of hope dancing in her eyes. "She can help us get to Earth."

"That will take months," Serenity said sadly, growing suddenly impatient to see her Prince again.

"It's probably the only safe way," Lita said.

"She's gone to Mars. She will be back very late this evening," Serenity said.

"Then we will have to wait," Raye said. "Tomorrow morning we will tell her the entire story from the beginning. She will understand."

Though her four friends agreed, each smiling and hopeful, Serenity faced the window, silent and frowning. Her mother would be of little help. She was certain the Queen would only be tangled up in diplomatic poppycock, and time was of the essence. They need to act quickly and mend their shattered hearts. She could not wait until the Queen cleared a safe passage to Earth; she would leave tonight.

A silent cold pressed upon the Moon as Serenity slipped away from the palace, hurrying towards the forest line. The sky was cloudless, the Earth casting a bluish glow onto the landscape of the Moon. Tonight Serenity's usual silver hue had also turned blue for her thoughts lay with the water covered planet.

A cold breeze brushed past her face, chilling her skin. She regretted the thin silk dress she was wearing, and her cloak did little to help warm her. Her pulse raced as she realized how close she was to being near Darien.

Or being near death.

She cast these thoughts from her mind as she crossed the forest line into the dark wood. She needed to go only a little further before it was safe for her to magic herself away. Only a little further and she could escape to Darien, fight for her love, fight for her life. This adventure would be her most dangerous yet and she must face it alone.

Serenity stopped running. Her breath billowed thickly in front of her, a periodic cloud in her vision. There was no turning back. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and melted away into the darkness.

The Princess of Mars awoke suddenly, sweat glistening on her forehead. She threw off her covers and groped through the darkness for her robe. Finally she snapped her fingers and a small flame appeared between her thumb and forefinger. She located her robe and threw it on.

"Oh Goddess," she mumbled, pushing on a hidden door in the wall. She hurried down a small passage, still following the torch she'd created in her hand. The passage opened into Mina's room.

"Get up, Mina," she called. "Get up!"

The Goddess of Love moaned and pulled her blankets over her head. "Come back in the morning."

Raye blew a tongue of fire in her leader's direction, lighting the pillow case on fire.

"Agh! Raye!" Mina threw the pillow across the room and fell off the other side of the bed, sprawling clumsily on the floor in a tangle of blankets. "There was no call for that!"

"Something has happened," Raye said mysteriously, leaving Mina's chambers to head down the dark hall towards Serenity's rooms. Mina quickly followed.

Raye's heart pounded as she drew nearer to the door. Time seemed to slow as her pulse filled her ears. She reached for the door handle, pushing her way into Serenity's room.

The curtain billowed into the empty room, a goodbye wave from the missing Serenity. The bed was stripped of its sheets, the top cover gleaming white in the darkness. It seemed like the scene of a disaster; the aftermath of such an action stole the air from their lungs as they contemplated what would happen next.

Serenity's court felt sick to their stomachs as they walked to the Queen's chambers. Their throats were filled with worry, their chest tights with anxiety. Mina, as the leader, knocked on the door, taking a deep breath before speaking. They gave each other shaky smiles, sad attempts at reassurance.

"Queen Selenity, may we come in?"

"Yes, Mina," the Queen called.

They entered to see the Queen still diligently at work with some piece of legislation or another, her secretary furiously taking notes. She did not turn to face them as they entered.

"What is it, girls?' Selenity asked, still reading what was in front of her. She was distracted as usual and completely unsuspecting of the news she was about to receive.

"Serenity has run away."

She dropped the paper and turned a penetrating gaze on their faces. The Court's fingernails dug into their palms and they struggled to keep from shaking. They knew this gaze too well. She wasn't angry; she was disappointed and surprised.

"What?"

"She has fled to the Earth."

"The Earth! Why would she possibly think of traveling to an enemy planet?" She stood suddenly and began to pace though her stare always focused on the Court. Her world seemed to be crumbling beneath her, her hopes for peace turning to a pile of ash.

"She is in love," Mina said simply as if this reason was enough. Of course, to the Goddess of Love, it was the only reason to do anything. She admired Serenity's bravery and determination. The Moon Princess was willing to risk everything for her love. Mina was saddened that she wasn't as courageous.

"In love? With who?"

"The Prince," Ami said. The Guardians were beginning to find the story easier to speak than they had planned though Selenity's steps grew quicker and quicker. It seemed so understandable to them and completely unsurprising. Ami was unsure of what would happen next, and the uncertainty made her head hurt. She believed Serenity had either taken the most foolish step towards death in Lunarian history, or the largest leap towards peace in nearly a decade.

"She has not even met the Prince! I have not even met the Prince!"

"She did meet him," Raye said, "at a masquerade." She had somewhat expected this from Serenity. She knew the Princess best and knew of the stubbornness that made itself known when Serenity was feeling particularly passionate.

"And he came to the Moon's masquerade two nights ago," Lita informed the Queen of the Moon. She wished she could be with Serenity and was sorry she had not offered to help her friend in her endeavors. She could protect the Princess and find a way towards Nephrite. He did not hate her and her magic. He would help them.

It was all becoming too much too quickly for Selenity though her secretary had managed to write down the information for future reference. She was sure the Queen would need to review the facts in an hour or so when it really sunk in. At the moment, the words were merely hitting Selenity and sliding to the floor.

The Queen sat down and sighed. The Moon's only heir was on Earth, the planet most aggressively against magic in all forms. Her body seemed to lose its strength as she thought of her completely magical daughter on the most conservative planet in the solar system.

She stood, leaving the uncertain thoughts behind her and switching into what the Court called "Her Majesty" mode. "We will contact the Earth immediately and make them aware of the fragility of the situation." The Queen's secretary immediately left the room to do as her Majesty ordered. Once she was gone, the Queen sat and stared at the Court.

"Tell me the entire story from the beginning."


End file.
